Cadidjatu

"It all started in 2013, when my uncle called my father to suggest that I should marry his son. I was then 16 years old and I was studying in the 9^th grade. According to him, the fact that I was going to school was not important for the family. His son was 10 years older than me, and he said that this marriage would allow me to have a better life".

The shy Cadidjatu proudly tells her story.

Originally from Bissau, Cadidjatu, 19, currently lives with her relatives in the small community of Samboldo, located in the eastern region of Gabú, in Guinea-Bissau. She belongs to a large family of seven: she has three younger siblings and one older sister, who is already married. Her mother died in 2015 and her father is a small trader. She likes reading and watching movies.

Cadidjatu is very dedicated to her studies and dreams of being an accountant. Her teachers often told her father that she had outstanding school performance. Even though her mother did not agree on the marriage, her father agreed to marry her off to her older cousin, believing it would be good for her and the family. In Cadidjatu’s case, cultural and traditional reasons made it hard for her father to turn down the request from his older brother.

Soon after she heard that her parents wanted to marry her, Cadidjatu learned from her schoolmates that the NGO Amigos da Criança (AMIC), an NGO that is supported by UNICEF, protects girls who are victims of early marriage. She decided to meet them and to explain about her situation. She met Fernando Cá, the Programme Coordinator. After listening to her story and the bright dreams she had for her future, Fernando approached Cadidjatu´s family, talking to them and trying to make them understand the risks of early marriage, and the fact that Cadidjatu could have a bright future pursuing her studies. After these discussions, the father finally declined the proposition from his brother and allowed Cadidjatu to continue her studies.

“AMIC and Fernando played a key role in avoiding my marriage", she explains.

Luckily, Cadidjatu’s family timely understood the benefits of sending her to school, instead of marrying her at an early age.

“Do not be afraid to face this kind of problems, follow my example and have the courage to talk about your situation. Do not leave your education behind, your future depends on it," continues Cadidjatu Djalo.

“I thank AMIC and UNICEF for allowing me to still pursue my dreams”, she concluded.

In Guinea-Bissau, like in many other countries, child marriage is a manifestation of gender inequality, reflecting social norms that perpetuate discrimination against girls. “Girls who marry are denied their childhood. Households typically make decisions about girls’ schooling and marriage jointly, not sequentially, and education tends to lose out”, said Benjamin Barbosa, First-Secretary of AMIC. “Child marriage is also a strategy for economic survival as families marry off their daughters at an early age to reduce their economic burden”, he concluded.

Cadidjatu still continues to pursue her dream of becoming an accountant. She finished her high school last year, and now she aspires to begin university, despite the financial challenges that her family is facing.